Perforating device



Feb. 14, 1967 J. c. HENDRlcKs PERFORATING DEVICE Filed Jan. '7, 1965 mmaUnited 'States Patent 3,303,564 PERFORATING DEVICE `lames C. Hendricks,Marengo, Ill., assigner to McGill Metal Products Company, Marengo, Ill.,a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 424,019 3 Claims.(Cl. 30-358) This invention relates vto a device for perforating sheetsand more particularly to an improved constmction for such a device forperforating sheets for insertion in a ring binder and adapted to becarried in the n'ng binder.

In many circumstances it is advantageous to have a perforating device,such as a paper punch, which is capable of being carried in a ringbinder so that papers may be punched immediately for insertion in thebinder. In addition to being more convenient, such a device prevents theloss of important papers since they may be punched and installed in thebinder as required. This is especially helpful to students, salesmen andother persons who move from place to place and for whom a conventionalhand punch would be too cumbersome to carry.

It is almost essential that the punch itself he constructed out of metalfor accurate, long lasting use. On the other hand, metal is expensiveand may -be too heavy for convenient portability.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedconstruction of a device for perforating sheets for insertion in ringlbinders.

Another object of the invention is to provide a low cost, lightweightperforating device which may be carried in a ring binder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a perforatin-gdevice including a punch constructed of metal and a plastic carryingmember to which the punch is secured in a manner to permit easyassembly.

A feature of the invention is the provision, in a device for perforatingsheet material, of a metal punch having upper and lower plates joined bya hinge, with a punch projection on one plate and an opening in theother. A at plastic carrying member has a mounting surface for the punch`and openings extending therethrough, with the lower plate havingportions extending therefrom projecting through the openings in thecarrying member and deformable for staking the lower plate to themounting surface.

Another feature of the invention is the provision, in a device forperforating sheet material as described, of the carrying lmember havinga mounting ear with ian opening therein for mounting the device in aring binder.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision, in a device forperforating sheet material including a pair of hinged plates, of acarrying member having a hinge housing extending above the level of thehinge with a recess therein to receive the hinge.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a punch havingupper and lower hinged plates and a carryin-g member, with a leaf springhaving a perforated base, positioned between the lower plate andmounting surface of the carrying member, and a pair of curved resilientarms extending between the upper and lower plates.

In the drawing:

FIG. l illustrates the perforating device -constructed in accordancewith the invention as used in a ring fbinder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the perforating device;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is :a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the device in theperforating position.

In accordance with the invention, a device for perforating sheets forinsertion in a ring binder includes a hinged rnetal punch having upperand lower plates. The lower plate has a single projection thereonsecured 'by a staked protrusion and the upper plate has a mating punchopening therein for perforating sheets inserted therebetween. The punchis mounted on a substantially flat supporting 4and carrying memberhaving openings extending therethrough. T-he lower plate of the punch isdisposed flat against a surface of the 4car-rying member and hasportions extending therefrom to project through the openings in thecarrying member. The portions lare deformable for staking the lowerplate to the mounting surface. The carrying member contains a raisedportion having a recess therein for accommodating the hinge connectingthe upper and lower plates of the punch, and a mounting ear for securingthe same in a ring binder.

A leaf spring having a perforated base and a pair of curved resilientarms is positioned 'between the lower plate and the mounting surface ofthe carrying member. The spring is held firmly in position yby the lowerplate with the staked protrusion on the lower punch plate and a dimpleon the carrying member passing through the Aperforated base. As theplates are moved into the perforatin-g position, the spring iscompressed, and the ends of the resilient arms pass through perfonationsin the lower plate and into a recess in the mounting surface of thecarrying member.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawing, the metal punch 10 ofthe invention includes an upper plate 12 and a lower plate 13y coupled'by a hinge 15. Upper plate 12 has a projecting rim 17 to facilitate theapplication of pressure to upper plate 12 during the punching operation.The lower plate 13 has one punch projection 19 secured thereon by stakedprotrusion 22. yOpening 21 in the upper plat-e 12 mates with the punch19 to cooperate therewith and perforate sheet material insertedtherebetween as the upper plate 12 is closed over the lower plate 13.

The metal punch 10 is mounted on a plastic carrying member 30 whichincludes openings 32 fand 33 extending therethrough, and mountingsurface 31 upon which the bottom plate 13 of the punch 10 is disposed.The mounting surface has a T-shaped recess 34 therein and a boss 35projecting thereon. The lower plate 13l has perforations 36 and 37therein, and deformable por-tions 3S and 39 extending therefrom. Theplate 13 is fixed to the mounting surface 31 by extending the portions38 and 39 through the openings 32 and 33, and then deforming theportions by bending them back Iagainst the carrying member 30 as shownlby dotted lines in FIG. 2.

The carrying -member 30 includes a hinge housing 40 extending above thelevel of the hinge 15, which is molded with a recess 41 therein. Recess41 receives hinge 15 of the punch 10 to secure the same against upwardmovement with respect lto the carrying member and to limit the upwardmovement of upper plate 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Integral with the hingehousing 40 is a mounting ear 43 which is provided with an opening 45therein for mounting in a ring binder as shown in FIG. l. A raisedshoulder 46 on the carrying member 30, delimits the mounting surface 31and prohibits contact of the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13, whenthe plates are moved into the perforating position.

The punch includes a leaf spring 50, which has a base 52, perforatedwith a round opening 53 and an oval opening 54, and a pair of curvedresilient arms 55. The ibase 52 is positioned -between the lower plate13 and the mounting surface 31, and extends through channel 47 inshoulder 46 into the T-shaped recess 34 (FIG. 5) topermit the lowerplate 13 to rest ush with the ymounting surface 31. The spring 50 isheld firmly in place by the lower plate 13, and 'by the stakedprotrusion 22 and the boss 35 passing through the oval opening 54 andthe round opening 53 respectively.

In using the punch, a piece of sheet .material is placed between theupper plate 12 and the lower plate 13V, resting on the resilient arms 55of the spring 50. When the plates are moved into the perforatingposition, the spring 50 is compressed with the ends of the resilientarms 55 passing through the perforations 36 and 37 in the lower plate13- and into the cap of the T-shaped recess '34, thereby permittingtheupper plate 12 to move toward lower plate 13, until the upper plateengages the raised shoulder 46. Upon completion (3f the perforatingmovement, the spring action of the resilient arms 55 raises 'the upperplate 12 and lifts the sheet material over punch projection 19 therebypermitting easy removal of the sheet material; l I

It may therefore be se'e that the` invention cornprises an improvedconstruction fora device forperforating sheets for insertion inriiigbindersY with the perforating device itself adapted to be carried insuch a binder. The construction provides a device wherein a metal punchis securely mounted in a plastic carrying mm-ber resulting in aneffective lightweight, low cost,- compact and durable unit.

I claim: v A

1. A device for perforating sheet material for insertion in a ringbinder, including in combination, a metal punch having upper and lowerplates, said lower plate having a single projection thereon secured by astaked protrusion and said upper plate having a corresponding punchopening therein for perforating sheets inserted therebetween, hingemeans joining -said upper and lower plates, a substantially at plasticcarrying member having a mounting surface for said punch and openingsextending 'through said member, said mounting surface having a recessand a boss, said lower plate having periforations and portions extendingtherefrom to project through said openings in said member, said portionsbeing deformable for staking said lower plate to said mounting su-rface,said carrying member'having hinge housing means extending above thelevel of said hinge means and having a recess therein accommodating saidhinge means to prevent upward displacement thereof relative to saidcarrying member, said member having a mounting ear with an openingtherein for mounting the device in a ring binder and a lraised shoulderhaving a channel therein and surrounding said mounting surface therebyprohibiting contact of said upper vand lower plates, and a leaf springhavin-g a perforatedV base and a pair of curved resilient arms, saidbase being positioned between said lower plate and said mounting surfaceand extending in said recess in said mounting surface through saidchannel of said raised shoulder, said spring being held irmly 'by saidlower plate with said staked protrusion and said boss passing throughsaid perforated base, said arms of said spring being compressed whensaid plates are moved into perforatin-g position, with the ends of saidresilient a-rms .passing through said perforations of said lower plateand into said recess of said mounting surface.

2. A device for perforating sheet .material including in combination, ametal punch having upper and lower plates, said lower plate having asingle projection thereon secured by a staked protrusion and said upperplate having a corresponding punch opening therein for perforatingsheets inserted therebetween, hinge means joining said upper and lowerplates, a substantially fiat plastic carrying member having a mountingsurface for said punch and openings extending through said member,- saidmounting surface having a recess and a boss', said lower plate havingperforations and portions extending therefrom to project through saidopenings in said ritieniber, said portions being deformable for staking'said lower plate to said mounting surface, said carrying mentber havinghinge housing means extending above the level of said hinge means andhaving a recess therein! accommodating said hinge means to preventupward displacement thereof relative to said carrying member, said@lmember having a raised shoulder having a channel therein and surroundingsaid mounting surface thereby prohibiting contact of said upper andlower plates, and al leaf spring `having a perforated base and a pair ofcurved resilient arms, said base being positioned between said lowerplate and said mounting surface and extending in said recess in saidmounting surface through said channel of said raised shoulder, saidspring being held firmly `by said lower plate with said stakedprotrusioir and said boss passing through said perforated base, saidarms of said spring Ibeing compressed when said plates aremoved intoperforating position, with the ends of said resilient arms passingthrough .said perforations of said lower plate and into said recess ofsaid mounting surface.

3, A device for perforating sheet material and for insertion in a ringbinder, including in combination, a metal punch having upper and lowerplates, said lower plate having a single projection thereon and saidupper plate having a corresponding punch opening therein forIperforating sheets inserted therebetween, hinge means joining saidupper and lower plates, a substantially flat plastic carrying memberhaving a mounting surface for `said punch, means for staking said lowerplate to said mounting surface, said carrying member having hingehousingV means including a recess therein for accommodating said hingemeans, said member having a mounting ear with an opening therein formounting the device in a ring binder and a raised shoulder having achannel therein and surrounding said mounting surface therebyprohibiting contact of said upper and lower plates, and spring meansbeing positioned between said lower, Iplate and said mounting surfacerand extending through said channel of said raised shoulder, meansincluding said lower plate for securing said spring means to saidcarrying member, said spring means being compressed when said plates aremoved into perforating position, .so that upon release of said platessaid spring means acts to return said upper plate to a non-perforatingposition relative to said lower plate and clears the sheet materialyfrom said punch projection.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 483,089 9/ 1892Winternight 129-7 544,057 8/ 1895 Whiteside 129-7 642,525 1/1900Kingsbury 46-222 1,142,032 6/1915 Faifer 129-7 1,766,308 6/1930 Rochat129-7 WKILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. G. WEIDENFELD, AssistantExaminer.y

3. A DEVICE FOR PERFORATING SHEET MATERIAL AND FOR INSERTION IN A RINGBINDER, INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A METAL PUNCH HAVING UPPER AND LOWERPLATES, SAID LOWER PLATE HAVING A SINGLE PROJECTION THEREON AND SAIDUPPER PLATE HAVING A CORRESPONDING PUNCH OPENING THEREIN FOR PERFORATINGSHEETS INSERTED THEREBETWEEN, A HINGE MEANS JOINING SAID UPPER AND LOWERPLATES, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PLASTIC CARRYING MEMBER HAVING A MOUNTINGSURFACE FOR SAID PUNCH, MEANS FOR STAKING SAID LOWER PLATE TO SAIDMOUNTING SURFACE, SAID CARRYING MEMBER HAVING HINGE HOUSING MEANSINCLUDING A RECESS THEREIN FOR ACCOMMODATING SAID HINGE MEANS, SAIDMEMBER HAVING A MOUNTING EAR WITH AN OPENING THEREIN FOR MOUNTING THEDEVICE IN A RING BINDER AND A RAISED SHOULDER HAVING A CHANNEL THEREINAND SURROUNDING SAID MOUNTING SURFACE THEREBY PROHIBITING CONTACT OFSAID UPPER AND LOWER PLATES, AND SPRING MEANS BEING POSITIONED BETWEENSAID LOWER PLATE AND SAID MOUNTING SURFACE AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAIDCHANNEL OF SAID SHOULDER, MEANS INCLUDING SAID LOWER PLATE FOR SECURINGSAID SPRING MEANS TO SAID CARRYING MEMBER, SAID SPRING MEANS BEINGCOMPRESSED WHEN SAID PLATES ARE MOVED IN PERFORATING POSITION, SO THATUPON RELEASE OF SAID PLATES SAID SPRING MEANS ACTS TO RETURN SAID UPPERPLATE TO A NON-PERFORATING POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER PLATE ANDCLEARS THE SHEET MATERIAL FROM SAID PUNCH PROJECTION.